Mr. Boner Law, replying on the debate, said that talk
about liberty had not helped Russia against the brute- force of German armies. The Government _needed men, and had a moral right to take them from Ireland. In Canada, Quebec had Home Rule and was dead against Conscription, but the Dominion Government were taking the young men of Quebec. America, having lent us her trained battalions, was enrolling recruits sooner than she would have had to do in normal circumstances. Had we the right to expect America to call up Irish-Americans while Irishmen in Ireland refused to serve ? The military necessities of the moment trans- cended everything else. The Cabinet intended to introduce a measure of local government for Ireland, which would be a Govern- ment measure and would be brought in as soon as it was drafted. But the Military Service Bill was necessary to our existence. The Irish clause was carried by 281 votes to 116.
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